Success Story: Emily
Emily specializes in grief, divorce, and anxiety therapy in Oakland, CA.
Your experience with Bootcamp in one sentence: Going through third Bootcamp this fall and learn something new every time!
How were you feeling before you signed up for Bootcamp?: I felt like the classic therapist who learned a lot of great counseling skills but almost no business skills in the years of school, practicum, and internships (2006-2015). I knew I needed a comprehensive system, not just a blog post on tips for marketing your private practice.
What did your private practice look like before Bootcamp started?: I was commuting 45 minutes to a job far from me at a counseling center that was taking too much in rental fees and offering very little (poorly kept rental space, web presence, not much else). I also sublet from another LMFT one day a week in my town, which I loved, but I was having trouble with the limitations of just the one day per week that he had open, I wanted to expand. At that time I was seeing some ideal clients, but my schedule wasn't full and I was too limited by other people's schedules/my commute to see more people — I needed a systemic change.
How do you feel after Business School Bootcamp for Therapists?: Honestly, it feels like a deep resource that I haven't even fully utilized. I am glad there is more there for me to learn and grow through. I was able to see two major times that I can't do it on my own (ex. finances) and hire things out (ex. accountant), it also happened with my website. I can see the difference between me and others who don't have Bootcamp, they seem super smart but they seem like they take a long time to get to the same places that I am at because I have BSB and the community to glean from.
How has your private practice and life changed after Bootcamp (processes, clinically, work-life balance, financially)?: I feel much more confident in how to scale up. Many of the new things (renting space of my own, subletting space, starting to supervise therapists) are not as profitable as they might be in the following year, but each year I earn more and I can see how that can continue to change and grow my income in the coming months and years. I have my own space and am now partially renting it out, which allows me to work three days a week and still receive income for the other days. I work two days in the office, one from home and I feel more confident about the online part of my business, it really works for he clients who use it! I have an associate joining me in the fall, the second time since Bootcamp that I will be supervising someone under my license. I decided to prioritize supervision class in CA (not a small feat) because I was able to connect my burnout with feeling a bit bored by every dollar earned being connected to seeing a client. All of that would not have been possible if I wasn't finding that physical space that really works for me. I use an online booking system, I have two modalities I'm being trained in this year (Life Cycle Therapy and Gottman) which will fit with my niche and speak to me as a person-- I really believe in the theories and it is making me excited about my work again. I feel more confident about having an early end to my day to spend with my kids, a day off a week to hike/read/restore my soul, and clearly know my limits as to who I can work with and how many people are my capacity for a given week.
What would you say to someone else who is on the fence about joining Business School Bootcamp for Therapists?: If your private practice isn't 100% working for you and you think "it might be helpful it's just a big expense and I'm not sure" than it's for you! First, it will pay itself back. Secondly, you'll be happier with yourself and your practice.
What do you wish you had known about private practice before you started?: I don't think I saw the joy I would have in being a healer and having a space of my own that is intended for healing. I feel such ineffable joy walking into my office every single time. I think it's a spiritual thing, I know this is a safe place to be honest, work hard, and find healing for so many of my clients. But perhaps it's also because my lease covers vacuuming and dusting and since I live with two little kids it feels like my clean magical kingdom :)
